Most of you will know the love-hate relationship I have with my hard-ass, ball-breaking mentor.

You’ve seen the castle episode, and many of you tell me your favourite London Real episode is Dan’s first conversation with me two years ago.

I remember that day like it was yesterday.

I went home after the shoot with my mind reeling. Quite honestly, I was in a bad mood. Dan had gotten inside my head, which I now realise is his speciality.

I knew deep down that I, and London Real, could be a lot more, and it took an angry, old, former oil tycoon shouting in my face to finally wake up to what this show could really become.

Despite everything we have achieved in the last eighteen months at London Real – the Academy, the Business Accelerator programme, the Summit – don’t expect this conversation to have lots of “well done Brians”, or “I am proud of yous” in it!

Dan gets on my case almost right away. Just like the first time we met, he has this look in his eye like “Is this it Brian!”

I’ve learned to get over the idea of pleasing or satisfying Dan Pena. And frankly, I realise that is not the point.

Dan is obsessed with high performance. That’s why, as he tells me in this conversation, he wants success for his mentees more than they want it for themselves.

And it has nothing to do with charity and goodwill. As he explains to me, unfulfilled potential just p***ses him off!

In this episode, Dan goes deeper than he ever has into his development as a businessman and a success coach.

There is a level of vulnerability and honesty that I haven’t heard from Dan before, and after I was done talking to him, I felt I understood the old man much more.

Dan tells me some crazy stories about the relationships he had with his own mentors like Costa Gratsos and Jim Newman.

Dan’s approach to mentorship is nuanced. It is much more than kissing ass or latching on to the success of others.

He talks me through how you cultivate a relationship, create a bond of loyalty and respect with mentors.

Dan gets very emotional when he talks about the men who influenced his life and made him man he is today.

He also goes over the finer, more subtle points of what it really means to upgrade your peer group.

Fundamentally, success is about being able to take risks.

As much as I hate admitting it, there is never a bad time to get the Pena-treatment. It is in our natures to fall back into the comfort zone, to take the short cut.

And let’s face it, we live in a culture where playing small and avoiding potential are positively rewarded.

It takes an angry, shouting, old school taskmaster like Dan to hold us accountable to what we claim our dreams and aspirations really are.

Believe me, this is conversation is no bromance reunion. It was no soppy man-date.

Dan gets right in my grill, looks at me with his steely grey eyes and rattles my cage all over again.

I was ready for him, but that doesn’t make his impact any less effective.

There’s no calmer, more reflective Dan here folks – this is as alpha male as it gets.

We talk about everything from killing bears to how Dan won the respect of Massai warriors.

You are going to love this episode, but quite honestly, I urge you to prepare yourself. Dan really brings it, and the result is as uncomfortable as it is motivating.

Buckle up. Dan Pena is back, and he is meaner, more honest and merciless than ever.

00:00 Trailer
01:18 Brian’s introduction.
02:15 Turning 70 – ramping things up.
04:47 What people do every day to scare themselves.
07:22 Accountability, getting people to change their reality.
09:49 A younger demographic now attending Dan’s seminars – what are they seeking?
16:10 Surrounding yourself with the right people.
17:23 Dan’s good habits: –Tacit approval
19:28 -Sun down rule.
22:33 -Over-communicating
25:08 -Kissing frogs
27:21 -Accountability
29:30 ‘If Donald Trump becomes President he’s going to rock the planet’.
34:06 What made Dan Pena who he is?
44:07 Crushing people’s constraints.
51:15 Smell the leather.
56:05 What business schools don’t teach you.
57:19 Research is procrastination.
59:57 Was Dan tougher on people 20 years ago?
1:01:25 Military background.
1:05:04 Does Dan attract masochists?
1:07:34 Running out of runway.
1:10:48 What happened to Brian at the Castle?
1:19:42 Fear.
1:22:16 Eagles soar alone, they don’t hang out.
1:30:26 How Dan wishes to be remembered.
1:31:17 Dan’s plans for next five years.
1:34:49 What can the faint hearted do to finally move forward?
1:36:53 Mentors.
1:41:12 Success secrets.
1:41:50 Affirmations.
1:44:49 Fulfilling potential.
1:47:19 People enjoy watching the interaction between Dan and Brian, but do they act upon what they hear?
1:49:09 Life’s not a journey, but a process.
1:50:07 Where do we go from here, you and me?

Surely he is not for everyone, but once you get beyond his bravado, he is a very loving and kind soul that desperately wants you to not settle for less than your best, and be willing to do the very hard work to get there! My advise is give him the benefit of the doubt, you will find a kernel of truth and perhaps even some motivation.

I made it to 1 hour and 18 minutes and that is as far as I can go. This person is so full of anger and hatred, it’s hard to watch. Is everything just about dominance and money for him? I love LondonReal usually for the surprising twists and turns in peoples lives and because it shows much more than the facade. In this case, Brian is giving this man the stage that let’s him bathe in his narcissism without ever asking a critical question. Super disappointing.